The Truth of Nature FAQ-2 : What particular topics did he teach?

Continuing along this line, one might ask, “What particular topics did he teach?"

<O</OAs you can see, this is a broad subject that can be explained from many different points of view. This can be answered, first by saying that he taught us to tread the “Middle Way”, to be neither too strict nor too slack, to go to neither to one extreme or another. On the one hand, we are to avoid the very harsh self-mortification practiced in certain yoga schools, which simply creates difficulties and trouble. On the other hand, we must keep away from practices which allow us sensual pleasures, that is to say, pleasures amounting to the saying, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die!” This is an extremely cynical expression appropriate for people interested only in pleasing the senses.<O</O
<O</O

By contrast, the Middle Way consists on one hand in not creating hardships for yourself and, on the other, in not indulging to your heart’s content in sensual pleasures. Walking the Middle Way brings about conditions which are in every way conducive to study and practice, and to success in putting an end to dukkha. The expression “Middle Way” can be applied generally in a variety of situations. It can’t lead you astray. The Middle Way consists in striking the golden mean. As a convenient summary, the following Seven Noble Virtues constitute walking the Middle Way: knowing causes, knowing effects, knowing oneself, knowing how much is enough, knowing the proper time, knowing individuals, and knowing groups of people.

<O</OSaying that the Buddha taught the Middle Way is a correct answer to this question, however we could answer it equally well by saying that he taught self-help. You all understand what self-help is, so you will hardly what it explained. To put it briefly, we are not to rely on fortune and fate. We are not to rely on celestial beings or even what is called “God”. We must help ourselves. To quote the Buddha: “Self is refuge of self.” Even in theistic religions, it is said that God helps only those who help themselves. In other religions, this matter of self-help may be more or less stated, but in Buddhism it is all-important. When one is miserable and deluded, suffering pain and anguish, then one must turn to the way of self-help. The Buddha said, “Buddhas* merely point out the way. Making the effort is something that each individual must do for himself”. In other words, Buddhism teaches self-help. Let us bear this in mind.<O</O
<O</O

Another way of answering is to say the Buddha taught that everything happens in consequence of causes and conditions, and in accordance with natural laws. This statement is like the answer received by Sariputta** when, prior to entering the monkhood he questioned a monk and was told, “The Buddha teaches thus: Each thing arises from a cause. We must know the cause of that thing and the ceasing of the cause of that thing.” This principle of Dhamma is scientific in nature, and here we can say that the principles of Buddhism agree with the principles of science. The Buddha did not use individuals or subjective things as criteria; that is to say, Buddhism is a religion of reason.<O</O
<O</O

To answer yet another way, as a rule of practice, the Buddha taught, “Avoid evil, do good, purify the mind”. Those three together are called the “ovada-patimokkha” (the summary of all exhortations). Avoid evil, do good, purify the mind. Avoiding evil and doing good need no explaining, but purifying the mind isn’t so obvious. If one goes about grasping and clinging, even to goodness, the mind develops impurities such as fear of not receiving good, fear of being deprived of existing good, anxiety, worry, and attaching to this and that as “mine”, All of these produce dukkha. Even though we may have been successful in avoiding evil and doing good, we still must know how to render the mind free.

Do not grasp at or cling to anything as being a “self”*** or as belonging to a self. Otherwise, it will be misery; it will be a heavy burden, and it will be dukkha. In other words, grasping and clinging, like carrying something along all the time, is a heavy weight and a burden of dukkha. Even a load of precious gems carried on the shoulders or head is jest as heavy as a load of rocks. So don’t carry rocks or gems. Put them aside. Don’t’ let there be any weight on your head. This is what is meant by “purify the mind”. So then, to purify the mind is the third thing. The first objective is to avoid evil, the second is to do good, and the third is to purify the mind. This is what he taught.

<O</OHere is another important teaching, a worthwhile reminder. He taught, “All things and all beings in this world are perpetually flowing, forever disintegrating they are impermanent. Let all be will-equipped with heedfulness****!” Please listen very carefully to these words: Everything in this world is perpetually flowing, forever disintegrating; that is, all is impermanent. So, we have to equip ourselves well with heedfulness. Don’t go playing with these things! They will bite you. They will slap your face. They will bind and hold you fast. You will be made to sit and weep, or perhaps even commit suicide.<O</O

Now let us bring together these various ways of answering the question; Just what did the Buddha teach?

<O</OHe taught us to walk the Middle Way;<O</O
He taught self-help;<O</O
He taught us to be familiar with the law of causality and to adjust the causes appropriately for the desired results to follow;<O</O
<O</O

As the underlying principle of practice he taught, “Avoid evil, do good, purify the mind”.

<O</OAnd he reminded us that all things are impermanent and perpetually flowing, and that we must be well equipped with heedfulness.

<O</OTip<O</O
* According to tradition, there is a long lineage of Buddhas, starting many cons ago and continuing far past the Buddha of our time. All are self-enlightened beings who teach the world how to eliminate dukkha. It is generally understood, however, that when one speaks of “the Buddha” , one is referring to the Buddha Gotama, the Buddha that existed in India from 563-483 B.C.

<O</O** Sariputta was the Buddha’s first chief disciple. He was very wise and extremely skilled at teaching the Dhamma.

<O</O*** The term “self” as used here refers to anything that we cling to or identify with as having distinguishable and fixed qualities. Whether it be our body, our personality, or anything at all, this sense of self is illusory and serves as a mere convention.

<O</O**** Heedfulness is well explained by the Master Buddhadasa in question 48. To summarize here, he says heedfulness is to be vigilant and well prepared, not be foolish or become infatuated with things. It is not to mindlessly attach to anything.<O</O


/* copied from "The Truth of Nature : FAQ"
The Master Buddhadasa Bhikkhu */<O</O